Harewell Wood Farm, Glasshouses: 30-05-2023

Change of direction required!!

With literally 12 hours to go before the NCVs left for a task in Grewelthorpe, an email from Liz arrived announcing a last minute change of plan. Apparently the landowners had spotted birds nesting in the area in which the NCVs were meant to be working, so an alternative job had to be found. 

The NCVs didn't mind. The alternative venue was the SSSI woodland at Harewell Wood Farm, Glasshouses, a place that they were familiar with and a lovely place to spend the day. They were tasked with halo coppicing holly around an ancient rowan and clearing some brash heaps out of the adjacent field.

So, without any further ado, let's see what this change of plan led to....

 

Luckily everyone had read the email 

so turned up at the correct venue.

 Everyone walked up to the middle

 of the wood where a handy fire pit

 lay waiting for action.

 

There was plenty of brash nearby to fuel

 a fire so Will got busy fetching it over...

....and Osian got a roaring fire going in no time.

 

The ancient tree in need of being cleared 

of encroaching holly was 'The Rocket Tree'

(so named because the fallen trunk is completely

 hollow and children sit in it to fly to the moon).

Overshaddowing was extreme.

 

Many of the holly stems were quite fat 

so took a good deal of effort to cut down.

 

But with the A team on the case

 they were soon history. 

There were 5 stems that were all tangled up together.

One branch was growing out of one stem

and had grafted itself onto another.

 

Eventually they were released...

...and could then be shifted downhill for burning

or using to build habitat piles.

 

Given the weight of many of the stems 

and the incline of the slope,

 team work was needed throughout the day.

Luckily, thanks to the half term holiday, 

honorary NCV Harry was available to help 

with the shifting.

Once we had reached the point where a 

chain saw was required the lovely old 

rowan was easy to spot. This day's 

work willl allow the regenerating crown

(the vertical stems at the right hand end of the fallen trunk)

 the light it needs to grow  well.

Next the NCVs turned their attention

 to the two heaps of brash in the top field.

 

Once again Harry was able to make life easier for us...

...as some of these pieces of brash

were considerably heavy!!

 

 Over the fence they went, into the wood...

...where they contributed to two habitat piles.

Very kindly, Liz had provided an extremely tasty 

chocolate cake to keep energy levels up.

Thanks Liz!!

Additionally - NCV Paul was unable to have the use of his car today but didn't sit at home twiddling his thumbs. Instead he popped into Hackfall Wood where he made himself useful and cleaned out the pump for the Fountains Pond.

 

 

Rather him than me!!

Pateley Bridge: 23-05-2023

 😠

 I don't believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes - the NCVs had a Victor Meldrew moment on reading the task email this week.

We were being invited to survey parts of the River Nidd, and some of its tributarie,s in the upper part of the dale, searching out Himalayan Balsam which, Liz assured us, was in an advanced stage of development in places. Oh no! How could that possibly be? So soon? It seems like only yesterday that we pulled up the final stem in Pateley Bridge.

No - that was a year ago. Balsam is on the up and surveying was needed to see where different community groups, such as the scouts and Nidderdale Anglers, could be deployed to 'Rid the Nidd' of this invasive pest.

The NCVs split into four small groups and were sent off to survey different transects. Here's a few snapshots of the day.... 

 

The weather was beautiful - as was the view

 for those who were dispatched up to Greenhow.

 

 

The same group had to contend with a number 

of obstacles across their water courses.

 

Come on Friedy - lift that leg a bit higher.

 

That's it Dave - careful over the wire.

 

Paul and Andrew had come on their bikes 

so were sent to do the Gouthwaite

 reservoir check from the road.

 

Paul did find a couple of stems, so thought 

that he would pull them up while he was there.

 

Parts of the Nidd were wet.

 

Other parts were dry.

 

Occasionally just a little bit of balsam could 

be found - but nothing mega. 

Slowly the battle is being won!

 

Alistair decided to try out his laser

beam powered gaze, staring at any balsam 

in the hope that it would spontaneously combust. 

 

No Paul - you won't find any up that tree.

Although, you never know. Best check it out.

 

"Excuse me Mrs Duck. Any balsam on

 your side of the stream?"

"Sorry - too busy looking after my

 ducklings to notice. Quack." 

"Well - what about you lot? Any over there?"

"No - none here." 

Now that's a lot of large eggs - 

But no balsam.

Anita and Rachel didn't find much balsam 

but they did find the largest ladybird in the world.

 

They also narrowly escaped the gaping

 jaws of the monster fox at Studfold farm. 

 

 

Hackfall Woods: 16-05-2023

NOT A TUBE IN SIGHT!!

The NCVs all cheeered wildly when the email came through announcing that they would NOT be dealing with tree tubes again this week. A fourth week on the trot may well have pushed them over the edge. It would have been the straw that broke the camel's back. Instead they were due to be working in Hackfall Woods, using their well honed skills of woodland maintenance.The camel could happily wander on, his back very much intact.

See what they used these skills for below:

First of all - carpentry. A while back three rotten steps up to the ruin were replaced. That left a few more still to do.

 

Think this needs just an inch or two off.

 

Step makers in stereo.

 

This one needs a bit of spadework.

 

That's one mighty fine step!

 

These steps needed a good cleaning....

...after which they became a perfect 

place for a coffee break.

 

Then there was the matter of an island in the middle of Fountains pond that needed clearing...

Liz and Julia demonstrate their ability to walk on water 

to reach their overgrown destination.

 

Much mid-pond lopping ensued and a barrier erected at the 

other end of the causeway 

to prevent visitors trying to reach the island.

(Yes - they didn't actually walk on water.) 

 

This NCV didn't try to walk on water at Alum Springs,

favouring the much safer stepping stones.

 

Next up - some plumbing...

 

What's the problem? 

Hmmmm. Now that looks bad.

That water should definitely be flowing under, 

not over, the path.

OK. This calls for Handy Andy.

That's it HA - get stuck in. 

 

Plumber Paul worked magic with the spade.

Now THAT looks about right.

Well done chaps!

 

 

At lunchtime something interesting (worrying?)

 caught the attention of this group of NCVs. 

I will leave it to your imagination to 

decide what it could have been.... 

 

I suppose it may have been this item 

of XXXL menswear found in the pond. 

 

As well as very large jumpers the NCVs saw many more pretty sights. 

 

Beautiful bugle and ramsons in abundance...

 

...unfurling fern crosiers...

 

...and carpets of bluebells.